Amidst strong opposition from Muslim organizations, TDP announces support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, a crucial boost for the NDA government’s legislative efforts, while ally JD(U) expresses concerns over retrospective implementation.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, April 1, 2025:
Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a crucial ally of the NDA government, has declared its support for the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, ending days of speculation and setting the stage for a potentially heated parliamentary debate. The bill, formally known as the ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Bill’, is slated to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 2nd, Wednesday.
The TDP’s announcement comes despite strong opposition from several opposition parties and Muslim organizations, who have labeled the legislation unconstitutional and detrimental to the Muslim community’s interests.
“The whole Muslim community is waiting for the bill to be tabled. Our party will support it,” stated TDP national spokesperson Prem Kumar Jain. “Chandrababu Naidu has already mentioned that we will work in the interests of the Muslim community. Tomorrow, the bill will be tabled, only then we will make any comments on it. I assure you that Chandrababu Naidu is in favour of Muslims.”
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The Waqf (Amendment) Bill aims to overhaul the management of Waqf properties through reforms such as digitization, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and the establishment of legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. For the ruling BJP, which lacks a majority in the Lok Sabha, the TDP’s backing is a significant boost in their efforts to pass the bill during the ongoing Budget session. The BJP maintains that the bill will primarily benefit impoverished Muslims.
However, another key
TDP says party will support Waqf Amendment bill, says bill is in interest of Muslims
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/iOIcO6uQlz#TDP #WaqfBill #Support #Muslims pic.twitter.com/Nez6c6ga5Y
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) April 1, 2025
NDA ally, Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), has expressed reservations about the bill’s implementation. JD(U) leaders have specifically called for the government to reconsider the retrospective application of the legislation. “Nitish Kumar has been working in Bihar for the last 19 years. During this time, the work he has done for the Muslim community is also visible. Our party had said that it should not be implemented with retrospective effect, and we hope that the government will consider it… As long as Nitish Kumar is in politics, the interests of the people will be protected,” said JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha.
JD(U) leader Rajeev Ranjan further elaborated, “A delegation of the Muslim community met Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and expressed their concerns regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Nitish Kumar asked party representatives to raise these concerns in the JPC, and party representative Dileshwar Kamait raised these concerns in the JPC. Surely, these suggestions must have been taken into consideration as well.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister [Insert Minister’s Name if available from other sources] announced that the bill will be tabled in the Lok Sabha immediately after Question Hour on April 2nd, followed by an eight-hour comprehensive discussion. “Some members wanted six hours, others wanted four hours. However, the Opposition demanded 12 hours for the discussion, but a broad consensus was reached for an eight-hour-long discussion on the bill,” the Minister stated. “Depending on the sense of the House, the Speaker could take the decision to extend it as well.”
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Prior to the tabling of the bill, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju briefed BJP spokespersons at the party’s headquarters, providing a detailed overview of the legislation and emphasizing its benefits for the Muslim community. Rijiju asserted that the bill does not infringe upon the freedom of religious institutions and is designed to empower those who have been previously marginalized. He reiterated the bill’s focus on reforming Waqf management through enhanced transparency and digitization.
The upcoming parliamentary debate is expected to be intense, with opposition parties and Muslim organizations likely to voice their concerns about the bill’s potential impact on the community. The TDP’s support and the JD(U)’s conditional backing have added a layer of complexity to the legislative process, making the bill’s passage a closely watched development.
